ducommun



(No Model.)

0. DUOOMMUN. INSTRUMENT FOR PIGKING ORANGES.

No. 387,283. Patented Au '7, 1888.

II/ II/ZIIIIIII Limogmv n Washinglurn n (L Ilirrrnn STATES Parent rrrcn.

CHARLES DUOOMMUN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

INSTRUMENT FOR PICKlNG ORANGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,283, dated August '7, 1888.

Serial No. 248,167. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES DUOOMMUN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invehted a new and useful Improvement in Implements for Picking Oranges, of which the following is a specification.

A difficulty has heretofore been experienced in picking oranges, in that the stem of the orange protrudes from the center ofa cup or depression in the rind at the end ofthe orange,and if the stem is clipped off even with the top of the walls of the cup or depression the rind forming the walls will shrink and leave the stem projecting above the walls of the cup. This is very objectionable, for the reason that the stern becomes dry and hard and will puncture the rind of the orange next it when the oranges are packed for shipment. To avoid this objection, I have devised a new and improvcd clipper with which to clip the orange from the stem.

In order to make a clipper which will clip the stem within the cup in the rind and yet not cut the rind which forms the cup it is necessary that the blades be made of a peculiar shape; and my invention pertains to the form of the faces and cutting-edges of the blades of the clippers.

In order to allow the cutting-edges of the clipper to enter the cup around the stem and yet prevent them from cutting into the rind which forms the cup my improved clippers are provided with blades having that part of each blade provided with the cutting-edge slightly curved from the point to the heel of the blade, the curve at the heel being less than that at the point and having the under faces of the blades sloped from the cutting-edges to the backs of the blades, the slope being less at the heels than at the points, thus making the under faces of the blades present when closed a surface convex both transversely and longitudinally, the convexity being more abrupt at the points of the blades than at the heels thereof.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows the clipper as it appears when in position to clip the stem of an orange. Fig. 2 is a view of the clippers closed. This View shows the faces of the blades of the clippers. Fig. 3 is a view showing the form of the curved cuttingedge of the blade. Fig. 4 is a transverse section onlinemx, Fig. i2,showing the small amount of convexity of the blades at that point. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line y y of Fig. '2, showing the increased convexity near the points of the blades. Fig. 6 is a perspective view further illustrating the convexity of the faces of the blades and the curvature of the cutting-edges.

It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the clippers when in operation lie in a plane at right angles to the stem of the orange and that the convex face ofthe point of the clippers fits into the cup.

It is obvious that the less convex portion of the blades will rest upon the walls of the cup nearest the heels of the blades, and, as the cutting-edges at that point are in the planes of the faces of the blades, they will not cut into the rind. A little practice will enable the operator to so rest the clippers upon the or ange that the curved and convex portion near the points of the blades will enter the cup, while the flatter and less curved heel of the clippers will guard the rind from being out.

In the drawings, A represents the more abruptly curved and convex portion of the blades, and B represents the less curved and convex heel of the blades. 0 O are the sloping faces of the blades.

I am aware that lamp-wick trimmers have heretofore been provided with cuttingedges made in the arc of a circle, as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 177,546, issued to Clarence J. Nugent, May 16, 1876, and. Ilimit my claim strictly to the form of blade shown in the accompanying drawings.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

The improved implement for picking oranges, consisting of a pair of clippers provided with blades having that part of each blade provided with the cutting-edge slightly curved from the point to the heel of the blade, the curve at the heel being less than that at the point, and having the under face of the the points of the blades than at the heels blades sloped from the cutting-edges t0 the thereof.

backs of the blades the slope beingless at the heels than at the points, making the under Vitnesses: 5 faces of said blades present when closed a- JAs. R. TOWNSEND,

surface convex both transversely and longi- V. H. SOMERS,

tudinally, the convexity being more abrupt at ED. J. SMITH.

G. DUCOMMUN. 

